Francis Lovelace

Francis Lovelace (1621-1675) was Governor of New York from 1668 to 1673, succeeding Richard Nicolls and preceding Anthony Colve.

Biography
Francis Lovelace was born in Kent, England in 1621, and he and his brothers fought for the Cavaliers during the English Civil War, served in the French Royal Army while in exile, and then assisted Charles II of England in his fight to be restored to the throne. From 1650 to 1652, Lovelace lived with his sister in Virginia, and he was sent to France in 1652 to inform King Charles of the seizure of Virginia by the Parliamentary commissioners. He returned to England in 1658 following Oliver Cromwell's death, and he was confined in the Tower of London from 1659 until the English Restoration in 1660.

In 1668, Lovelace was sent by King Charles to serve as Governor of New York, succeeding Richard Nicolls. While in office, he purchased Staten Island from the Native Americans, to whom he sent Anglican missionaries. He also organized infantry and militia companies and expanded New York City's defenses. In 1673, the Dutch temporarily recaptured the colony during the Anglo-Dutch Wars, ending Lovelace's tenure. His property was confiscated by the Dutch, and he was sent home in disgrace. The Duke of York, blaming Lovelace for the loss of his namesake colony, confiscated his Staten Island plantation and his English estates. From January to April 1675, he was again sent to the Tower of London, and he died in abject poverty in 1675.